wordpresshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/507/all
enPostcard Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/postcard
<!--paging_filter--><p>Social networking is a great tool for groups or businesses to communicate with the masses, but getting the message out across multiple services can be like pulling teeth. Like most everything these days, there’s an iPhone app for just such a purpose — no toothache necessary. Postcard is a free app for iPhone that simplifies the task of cross-posting to multiple social networks at once. Rather than switching between different apps or services, you'll simply tap out your missive once and then sit back as it’s posted to the relevant websites of your choosing.</p><p>While rival apps offer such functionality for Twitter, Facebook, and App.net, Postcard ups the ante with support for LinkedIn, Tumblr, Buffer, and even WordPress websites. That last one had us intrigued, so we installed the companion plug-in for a WordPress blog (hosted by this reviewer), and within moments, we were sending posts to a new “Social Archive” section of the website.</p><p><img src="/files/u338318/2014/02/postcard.png" width="620" height="548" /></p><p>The actual Postcard app is likewise deviously simple to set up and use, and includes niceties like the ability to select or deselect networks with a tap, attach pictures and video from a device or linked Dropbox account, and the option to have a personal or business website host shared content, which helps leverage social networks and drive clicks back to your ad revenue.</p><p>How can the developer deliver all this great stuff for free? Postcard includes the ability to connect two networks without charge, with in-app purchase options for another two priced at $0.99, five for $2.99, or unlimited networks for $4.99 — an extremely fair price considering the convenience provided. And grievances are few. The lack of native iPad support certainly tops that list, Instagram support would be nice, and we might finally get some use out of Google+ should the service be added in a future update. Otherwise, it offers a whole lot of benefit for very little.</p><p><strong>The bottom line.</strong> Postcard is that rare breed of app that truly makes life easier for social networking junkies, and it’s only a stone’s throw away from perfection.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/postcard-write-once-share/id589678038?mt=8" target="_blank">Postcard 1.02</a></p> </div>
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</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Kyle Newsome </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.postcardsocial.net" target="_blank">www.postcardsocial.net</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
Free </div>
</div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 7.0 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Cross-posting to multiple social networks at once. WordPress plug-in with easy setup. User-selectable host network delivers clicks to personal or business websites.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>No native iPad support. Lacks support for Google+ and Instagram. Only two networks allowed with the free download.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/postcard#commentsReviewsapp store reviewsApp.netAppLifeAppsBufferBusinessFacebookiPod and iPhonelinkedinPostcardsocialsocial networkingSoftwareTumblrtweetingTwitterwordpressFri, 28 Feb 2014 20:44:31 +0000J.R. Bookwalter19440 at http://www.maclife.comYahoo! Acquires Tumblr in $1.1B Cash Dealhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/yahoo_acquires_tumblr_11b_cash_deal
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/yahoo_office_building_200px.jpg" alt="Yahoo! office building" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />From rumor to reality in the space of a weekend: Yahoo! is now the proud owner of blogger favorite Tumblr, which will now be operated as an independent entity with a promise it won't be screwed up.<br /><br /><a href="http://allthingsd.com/20130519/yahoo-tumblrs-for-cool-board-approves-1-1-billion-deal/" target="_blank">As first revealed by AllThingsD</a> over the weekend, <a href="http://yahoo.tumblr.com/post/50902111638/tumblr-yahoo" target="_blank">Yahoo! CEO Marissa Meyer announced Monday</a> that the company has reached an agreement to acquire Tumblr in a deal <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130520005659/en/Yahoo%21-Acquire-Tumblr" target="_blank">valued at roughly $1.1 billion</a>.<br /><br />"We promise not to screw it up," Meyer writes in a blog about the deal. "Tumblr is incredibly special and has a great thing going. We will operate Tumblr independently. David Karp will remain CEO. The product roadmap, their team, their wit and irreverence will all remain the same as will their mission to empower creators to make their best work and get it in front of the audience they deserve. Yahoo! will help Tumblr get even better, faster."<br /><br />With 105 million blogs, 300 million monthly visitors and 120,000 signups per day, the acquisition of Tumblr certainly makes sense for former Google executive Meyer, although not everyone is thrilled with the news.<br /><br /><a href="http://ma.tt/2013/05/yahooblr/" target="_blank">According to WordPress CEO Matt Mullenweg</a>, the fast-spreading rumors reached a peak on Sunday night, when his company saw 72,000 defections from Tumblr to WordPress in a single hour -- a number that's usually in the range of 400 to 600 per hour.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/yahoo_acquires_tumblr_11b_cash_deal#commentsNewsacquisitionsAllThingsDBlogsCEODealsdefectionsindependentMarissa MeyerTumblrwordpressyahooMon, 20 May 2013 12:57:02 +0000J.R. Bookwalter17035 at http://www.maclife.comAmazon Introduces Free Send to Kindle Button for Web Publishershttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/amazon_introduces_free_send_kindle_button_web_publishers
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/send_to_kindle_200px.png" alt="Send to Kindle" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />It's taken them long enough, but e-tailer Amazon is finally launching an offensive against "read later" services such as Instapaper and Pocket, allowing readers to add articles to their Kindle with a click from most anywhere.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kindlepost.com/2013/03/send-to-kindle-button.html" target="_blank">Amazon's Kindle Daily Post has announced</a> that it's making it easy for web publishers to add a "Send to Kindle" button to their websites, with <em>The Washington Post</em>, <em>TIME</em> and popular blog Boing Boing among the first to implement the service.<br /><br />"Have you ever encountered news, blogs, articles and other content on the web that you want to read but don't have time to do so immediately?" the blog post queries. "The Send to Kindle Button lets you easily send that content to your Kindle to read later, at your convenience. Just send once and read everywhere on any of your Kindle devices or free Kindle reading apps for iPhone, iPad and Android phones or tablets."<br /><br />That should sound quite familiar to users of services like Instapaper and Pocket, who have been serving up content in the exact same way almost since the iPhone debuted. To Amazon's credit, however, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle" target="_blank">Send to Kindle has existed</a> on the Mac, PC, Chrome and Firefox for quite some time as well.<br /><br />Have a website and want to offer a Send to Kindle button on it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle/developers/button" target="_blank">Amazon is offering it free for web publishers</a>, with <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/send-to-kindle/" target="_blank">a separate plugin also available for WordPress blogs</a>.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/amazon_introduces_free_send_kindle_button_web_publishers#commentsNewsAmazonBlogsfree servicesInstapaperPocketread laterSend to Kindleweb publisherswebsiteswordpressiPadiPhoneiPodMacWed, 20 Mar 2013 12:55:56 +0000J.R. Bookwalter16525 at http://www.maclife.comTwitter Birds Prey on Posterous, Probably Won’t End Well for Usershttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/twitter_birds_prey_posterous_probably_won%E2%80%99t_end_well_users
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/hitchcock_birds_poster_200px.png" alt="Hitchcock &quot;The Birds&quot; poster" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Like a scene out of Hitchcock’s cinematic classic, the birds at Twitter have swooped in for the kill, this time taking aim at the team at Posterous. While there’s no blood and carnage quite yet, the fate of the popular Posterous Spaces is a question mark.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.posterous.com/big-news" target="_blank">The Official Posterous Space blog has announced that the microblogging service has been acquired by Twitter</a>, a move that ironically set off a firestorm of tweets about the long-term viability of Posterous now that Twitter is making off with the company’s talent.<br /><br />“Posterous Spaces will remain up and running without disruption,” founder Sachin Agarwal writes. “We’ll give users ample notice if we make any changes to the service. For users who would like to back up their content or move to another service, we’ll share clear instructions for doing so in the coming weeks.”<br /><br />Unfortunately, the writing seems to be on the wall, at least in the minds of many users who are already planning to relocate their blog -- and <a href="http://posterous.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/56001-acquisition-faq" target="_blank">an Acquisition FAQ on the company’s website</a> says the Spaces can be moved to WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, et al and plans to “provide you with specific instructions for exporting your content to other services” in the near future.<br /><br />“The opportunities in front of Twitter are exciting, and we couldn’t be happier about bringing our team’s expertise to a product that reaches hundreds of millions of users around the globe,” Agarwal writes. “Plus, the people at Twitter are genuinely nice folks who share our vision for making sharing simpler.<br /><br />“Finally, we’d like to offer thanks to all of our users, especially those who have been with Posterous since day one,” the blog post concludes. “The last four years have been an amazing journey. Your encouragement, praise and criticism have made us better.&nbsp; Thanks for that. We look forward to building great things for you over at Twitter.”<br /><br />We don’t doubt that, but it’s a little sad to see Posterous get plucked for its talent, at any rate.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/twitter_birds_prey_posterous_probably_won%E2%80%99t_end_well_users#commentsNewsacquisitionsbirdsBloggermicrobloggingposterousServicesSpacestalentTumblrTwitterwordpressiPhoneiPodTue, 13 Mar 2012 12:35:17 +0000J.R. Bookwalter13526 at http://www.maclife.comVimeo App Hits 2.0, Offers New Native User Interface for iPadhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/vimeo_app_hits_20_offers_new_native_user_interface_ipad
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/vimeo_ipad_app_200px.png" alt="Vimeo for iPad" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Monday has been good to iPad users who create their own content -- first Adobe releases Photoshop Touch for still images, and now Vimeo’s app hits version 2.0 with a universal build for native iPad support for watching, managing, downloading and sharing your videos with others.<br /><br />Apple’s new BFF Vimeo, LLC has released version 2.0 of their free <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fvimeo%252Fid425194759%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;Vimeo" target="_blank">Vimeo</a> app, billed as “the official all-new and super-improved” app. If you happen to be an iPad user, the release is definitely cause for celebration -- Vimeo is now a universal build with an all-new user interface just for the iPad, as well as an easier to use UI for the iPhone as well.<br /><br />“We packed all the best parts of Vimeo into one simple app, and now we've made that app better than ever,” the app description notes. “Upload, edit, manage, and watch your videos right on your iPhone, and, if you need inspiration, discover great videos based on your interests through our meticulously curated and eyeball-pleasing Channels.”<br /><br />The app includes an easy-to-use video editor which allows capturing video straight into the app with focus control and grid alignment, adding transitions, titles and effects and direct upload to Vimeo (naturally). Vimeo Music Store is now integrated into the video editor for even more choices when adding music and sound recordings.<br /><br />If you want to enjoy Vimeo without having to sign up for yet another service, the app now allows you to shoot video, create projects and browse featured channels without logging in, but if you do, you’ll also be able to view subscriptions, likes and your Watch Later album as well as share, add comments and view licenses, credits and likes on videos created by other Vimeo users.<br /><br /><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fvimeo%252Fid425194759%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;itunes_store&quot;&gt;Vimeo" target="_blank">Vimeo 2.0</a> is a 21.6MB free download from the App Store, compatible with all devices running iOS 4.3 or later.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/vimeo_app_hits_20_offers_new_native_user_interface_ipad#commentsNewsApp Storedigital videoFacebookiPadTumblrTwitterUniversal AppsUser Interfacevideo editingVimeowordpressiPadiPhoneMon, 27 Feb 2012 14:24:16 +0000J.R. Bookwalter13393 at http://www.maclife.comHow to Import Your Tumblr Blog into Wordpresshttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_import_your_tumblr_blog_wordpress
<!--paging_filter--><p>If you've been blogging at Tumblr for some time now, but are looking for something a little less microblogging meets Web 2.0, WordPress is the next best thing! Not only is it a highly customizable blogging tool, but you can also import your old Tumblr posts into your new WordPress blog. Read on to find out how to migrate your Tumblr posts to WordPress.<br /><br /></p><h3>1. Download Your Tumblr</h3><p>Tumblr 2 WordPress is a fabulously free service that does the guesswork for you. It's an online tool that creates a WXR (WordPress eXtended RSS) file from your Tumblr site, which can then be important into WordPress. And best of all, it actually works. <br /><br />To begin, scroll down to the Tumblr to WordPress Exporter module on the page.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.17.28-am.jpg" width="558" height="480" /></p><p>Type in your Tumblr account. Under Content format select HTML, and under Permalinks you can decide how you'd like the external links to format. Since we can't actually import the photos and music files you might have posted on your Tumblr, you'll have to link back to the original blog post so that your blog entries still have some context. <br /><br />Further down, you can also decide whether or not you want the posts to be immediately published, comments to be enabled or disabled, or if people can link to your Tumblr-on-WordPress entries. <br /><br />When you've decided, hit Export". <br /><br /></p><h3>2. Join WordPress</h3><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.17.01-am.jpg" width="549" height="480" /></p><p>If you haven't already, start an account at WordPress. Walk through that process and meet us at step three. <br /><br /></p><h3>3. Import Your Tumblr Posts</h3><p>Head over to your WordPress Dashboard, available at the top under My Blogs.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.29.06-am.jpg" width="159" height="119" /></p><p>Then, on the left-hand side of the screen, click on the Tools bar. After your browser takes you to that page, click on "Import". Select the option to import a WordPress export file.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.35.09-am.jpg" width="600" height="416" /></p><p>Select the file from your hard drive. Then select Upload file and import.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.35.14-am.jpg" width="620" height="190" /></p><p>WordPress will ask you to assign authors. Select your WordPress username from the drop down menu, and then select "Download and import file attachments." Click submit when you're done.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.36.34-am.jpg" width="620" height="183" /></p><p>This could take awhile. So, please, grab a milkshake.<br /><br /></p><h3>4. Pimp Your New Blog</h3><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.46.45-am.jpg" width="500" height="200" /></p><p>When your import is finished, WordPress will send you a kind and friendly email that your blog is ready for pimpin'. This is perfect, because you've been waiting for this moment throughout this entire how-to.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/9/ask/screen-shot-2011-07-01-at-9.51.27-am.jpg" width="620" height="430" /></p><p>Click the link. You'll notice that some of your photos might be missing -- it might be necessary for you to go through and either re-link or individually upload photos. But in essence, your Tumblr blog is there, right there, on your WordPress.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_import_your_tumblr_blog_wordpress#commentsblogbloggingBlogsTumblrwordpressMacHow-TosFri, 01 Jul 2011 20:10:04 +0000Florence Ion11562 at http://www.maclife.comFree App Friday: Get in the Open Source Habithttp://www.maclife.com/article/columns/free_app_friday_get_open_source_habit
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u53/galaxycat.jpg" width="380" height="287" /><br /><br /><em>This Galaxy Cat was found at <a href="http://ffffound.com/image/ce13d0703ff00586a9faa93975e807b9200832ba" target="_blank">Ffffound.com</a></em><br /><br />The internet is abound with wonderful things, like ridiculous pictures of galaxy cats, search engines that find super secret mixes and b-sides from your favorite music artists, social networking sites that violate all the principles of privacy and websites filled with free software. Yes, that's right, <em>free</em> software, and especially open source software. Open source is wonderful because it gives developers a hobby, and the users some hope that their favorite free software will only get better with age--sort of like a fine wine. <br /><br />This week, we're covering open source software like WordPress, Miro and WikiHow.<br /><br /><br /></p><h2>Mac</h2><p><br /><strong><a href="http://www.getmiro.com/" target="_blank">Miro</a></strong><br /><br /><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u53/screen_shot_2010-10-15_at_10.58.09_am.png"><img src="/files/u53/screen_shot_2010-10-15_at_10.58.09_am.png" width="380" height="268" /></a><br /><br />Miro is an open source video player that does more than just display the latest episodes of your favorite television shows. The software can play over 6,000 different types of video files and the interface is easy to navigate. Though you may be wondering what this software has over other open source video players like VLC, this one can download (legal) torrents and podcasts from a variety of video channels hosted on the service. <br /><br /></p><h2>iPad</h2><p><br /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wordpress/id335703880?mt=8" target="_blank">WordPress</a></strong><br /><br /><img src="/files/u53/screen_shot_2010-10-15_at_11.43.25_am.png" width="480" height="351" /><br /><br />WordPress has this nifty iPad app that'll enable you to manage your WordPress account from anywhere you've got a WiFi or 3G connection. And on the iPad, there's plenty of screen real estate to tippa-tappa away about your day, and post it for all the world to see. <br /><br /></p><h2>iPhone</h2><p><br /><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wikihow-how-to-diy-survival/id309209200?mt=8" target="_blank">WikiHow</a><br /></strong><br /><img src="/files/u53/img_0114.png" width="320" height="480" /><br /><br />Sort of like How Cast, this free app enables you to find, view, and read up on a number of topics, like how to escape a car on a cliff's edge, or even navigate through a minefield. There's also an emergency survival kit that the app stores for offline use, in case you're, y'know, in the middle of the dessert with no signal. <br /><br /><br /><br /><em><br />Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ohthatflo" target="_blank">Florence Ion, on Twitter</a>. <br /></em><br /><br /><br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/free_app_friday_get_open_source_habit#commentsApp Storecloud syncColumnsfree app fridayfree appsfunamboliPad AppsiPhone appsiPod Appsmac appsmemesmiroopen sourcewikihowwikipediawordpressiPadiPhoneiPodMacFri, 15 Oct 2010 19:29:53 +0000Florence Ion8596 at http://www.maclife.comWordPress 2.6 for iOS Allows for Video Recording & Uploadshttp://www.maclife.com/article/iphone/wordpress_26_ios_allows_video_recording_uploads
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u286882/wordpress380_1.jpg" width="380" height="380" /></p><p>Stable, flexible and easy to use, <a href="http://wordpress.org/" target="_blank">WordPress</a> is an obvious choice for those who blog for a living or just want to keep their family up-to-date on what they've been up to on the other side of the country. With a multitude of plug-in options, themes and the ability to host your published blog on WordPress' servers or one of your own choosing, the platform is nothing but win for writers who want to get their content online quickly and with a minimal amount of fuss.</p> <p>There was great rejoicing throughout the land when WordPress released their iOS app to the iTunes <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/rumored_apple_store_app_jumps_app_store" target="_self">App Store</a> a few years back. The original version of the application was a meat and potatoes sort of affair: It got the job done but wasn't particularily flashy. Incremental updates brought eager users a few desirable bits and pieces; rounding the app out nicely by refining the user interface and allowing deeper interaction with features that WordPress users have enjoyed on their computers for a long time. The latest update of the app--version 2.6--introduces the ability to record video on your <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/iphone_and_ipad_tips_week_bring_itunes_10_back_its_original_glory" target="_self">iPhone</a> or video-equipped <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/34_ios_40_features_and_tips_iphone_and_ipod_touch" target="_self">iPod touch</a>, and then upload it to a WordPress blog. Now that's classy. Also included in the update are the ability to auto save posts on your iOS device as you type them, an overhaul of how the app deals with local drafts and a number of bug fixes to improve stability. If WordPress for iOS 2.6 sounds like your cup of tea, all you need is an iTunes account and enough coin in your pocket to pay the low, low price of free. The app can be downloaded <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wordpres/id335703880?mt=8#" target="_self">here</a>.<em>&nbsp;</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SeamusBellamy" target="_blank">Seamus Bellamy on Twitter</a>.</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/iphone/wordpress_26_ios_allows_video_recording_uploads#commentsNewsbloggingiOSiphone videoiPod touchiTunes app storewordpressiPhoneFri, 01 Oct 2010 02:17:41 +0000Seamus Bellamy8408 at http://www.maclife.comHow To Start Blogging with WordPresshttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/howto_start_blogging_wordpress
<!--paging_filter--><h3>Get your own website up and running in minutes with the WordPress content-management system</h3><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Websites can be a pain to set up--even with HTML and CSS, hand-coding a site can take hundreds of hours. And it gets worse if you want a website you can update frequently because you’d have to dig back into the original code to make changes. Enter the CMS, or content-management system, designed to let you easily update a site without monkeying with the underlying code. WordPress is perhaps the most impressive, powerful, and widely used blogging CMS there is. For beginners and non-technical types, it’s incredibly easy to set up, even if you’re using your own domain. More advanced users can tweak WordPress to an incredible degree with themes and plug-ins, and power users can even adjust the open-source code with a basic text editor.</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/blog_380.jpg" width="380" height="250" /></p><p>We’ll assume you want a self-hosted blog with your own domain name; for example, mygreatsite.com. (The other option, a hosted blog, is easier but less professional looking. Wordpress.com lets you sign up for a free hosted blog.) You can get a cheap domain name at <a href="http://www.NearlyFreeSpeech.net" target="_blank">NearlyFreeSpeech.net</a>--a .com address runs about $9/year. Next you need somewhere for your blog to run. A WordPress blog is a piece of software, albeit not one that runs from your Mac. That means besides simple hard disk space on a server, you need a few minor bells and whistles to go with it. Make sure your prospective web host provides compatibility with PHP and SQL databases. Web hosting is cheap--NearlyFreeSpeech.net, for example, offers pay-as-you-go pricing for storage and bandwidth that can be as low as $2/month. Popular domain-registration and hosting service <a href="http://www.GoDaddy.com" target="_blank">GoDaddy.com</a> charges about $57/year for hosting with 10GB of storage and 300GB of traffic. That should be sufficient for most blogs, even if you intend to stream video. Lastly, pick up a good FTP client, which makes it easy to upload files to your blog--we like Fugu (free, <a href="http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/" target="_blank">rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/</a>).<br /><br /><strong>Difficulty Level: </strong>Medium</p><p><strong>What You Need: </strong></p><p><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> WordPress (free, wordpress.org)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> TextEdit (included with Mac OS X)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> FTP client such as Fugu (free, <a href="http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/" target="_blank">rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/</a>)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> Web hosting space (prices vary)<br /><strong>&gt;</strong><strong>&gt;</strong> Personal domain name (optional, prices vary)</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>1. Set Up an SQL Database</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/1-database_622.jpg" width="622" height="282" /><strong><br />Every host's SQL setup is a little different.</strong><br /><br />With your web hosting and domain name set up, the first step is to create an SQL database. Your new host’s help section will walk you through the process of setting one up. Make sure you note down the name of the database, as well as your username and password.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>2. Download WordPress</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/2-config_full.jpg" width="542" height="542" /><strong><br />Replace database_name_here, username_here, and password_here with the correct details. We also had to change localhost, according to our hosting company's instructions.</strong><br /><br />Download WordPress from wordpress.org. Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php and open it using TextEdit. Go to the section called My SQL settings. Enter the details exactly as they appeared when you created your database.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>3. Secure Your Site</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/3-secure_full.jpg" width="516" height="292" /><strong><br />Looks like gibberish, but think of it as secret security sauce.</strong><br /><br />Copy and paste the link in the config file into the address bar of your web browser to generate a set of keys that will make your passwords harder to crack. Copy the keys from your web browser back into your config file. Save it and close it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>4. Upload to New Host</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/4-upload_622.jpg" width="622" height="498" /><strong><br />Upload it all; you're basically installing WordPress in your web space.</strong><br /><br />Log in to your space using your FTP client (we’re using Fugu). You’ll get the login details from your hosting service, or try ftp://[your-site-name].com, although the address can vary depending on your hosts. Upload everything in your WordPress folder to your new host. Go to [your-site-name].com, and you’ll see the WordPress welcome screen.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>5. Name Your Blog</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/5-name_622.jpg" width="622" height="504" /><strong><br />Your blog needs a title, a username for you, and of course a password.</strong><br /><br />Think up a name for your blog and make sure you enter a reliable email address so your WordPress install knows where to reach you--this address will be used to notify you when someone leaves a comment on your blog, and it’s where a new password will be sent if you forget your old one. Make sure to change the username from “admin” to something less common and harder to guess, and use a strong password.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>6. Preview Your Blog</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/6-hello_622.jpg" width="622" height="463" /><strong><br />Our default blog isn't much to look at, but it's up and running, and it's ready for content and customization.</strong><br /><br />Once you’re in the WordPress Dashboad, click your blog’s name in the upper left (mouse over it for a tooltip saying Visit Site) to see the prototype of your new blog. When you next visit your blog, type [your-site-name].com/wp-admin to get to the login screen and Dashboard.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>7. Upload Multimedia</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/7-upload_622.jpg" width="622" height="313" /><strong><br />Let WordPress handle the uploading.</strong><br /><br />With WordPress installed, you’ll be able to see why so many bloggers swear by it. Naturally, you get rich text formatting, and WordPress allows you to upload images and videos without needing to revisit your FTP client. Once you’ve clicked Add New Post, simply click the image button on the toolbar, and WordPress will automatically upload your multimedia files into new folders on your FTP server.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>8. Explore Themes and Plug-ins</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/8-themes_622.jpg" width="622" height="446" /><strong><br />More themes than you can shake your mouse at.</strong><br /><br />In days gone by, installing new themes or plug-ins was a nuisance. You had to download a new theme, upload it via FTP, then activate it in WordPress. Now, if you go to WordPress’s Dashboard and click Appearance, you’ll see the Themes settings and an Add Themes tab. Click this, and you’re taken to a wonderland of free themes where installing a new one couldn’t be simpler. The same goes for plug-ins, which can be searched for by keyword. WordPress is resilient to user error as well--if you make a mistake in the front end (as opposed to in an FTP client or when trying to edit your WordPress database), you’re very likely to be able to undo your changes and return to a working version of your site.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Why Not iWeb?</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It’s hard to ignore the temptation of Apple’s iWeb. You probably already have it, it produces acceptable results, and unlike WordPress, iWeb doesn’t make you go near an SQL database or fiddle with the back ends of hosting accounts or domain names. iWeb even has built-in and downloadable themes and enough multimedia compatibility to keep people happy.</p><p><img src="/files/u129772/2010/08/iWeb_622.jpg" width="622" height="395" /></p><p>But WordPress leaves iWeb in the dust, especially for the ambitious webmaster or those who think they might make some money from their blog. For starters, WordPress has a far more active community than iWeb, which means a lot more choice when it comes to themes, as well as more plug-ins and more help forums if you get stuck. The upshot is that your website is likely to be more individual if you use WordPress. iWeb’s themes are quite heavy on clip art and stock backgrounds, which will mark your new site as the work of a rookie. iWeb is also poorly suited to blogging. It lets you add a blog, but in order to update it you need to be in front of a Mac that has iWeb installed--not much use if you’re without your MacBook. A WordPress blog can be updated from any computer with a web browser, and you won’t lose any features.<br /><br />iWeb does have a few upsides: it’s undeniably easy to use, and its iPhoto integration means that if you don’t care to learn anything new, you can still have a decent-looking presence on the web. But anyone with a modicum of ambition should give WordPress a go--you won’t regret it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/howto_start_blogging_wordpress#commentsblogCMSHow towordpressHow-TosMon, 16 Aug 2010 18:04:48 +0000Dave Stevenson7902 at http://www.maclife.comWordPresshttp://www.maclife.com/article/iphone/wordpress
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<p class="MsoNormal">So you want to be a blogger? Not just any blogger, you want to be a super mobile blogging Ninja. Blogging as you take down your enemies. Blogging as you sharpen your <a href="#mce_temp_url#">katana</a>. Blogging while in line waiting for an iPhone 3G. <span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For those of us who demand quality blogging on the go, WordPress is available as a free application in the iTunes App Store. It brings convenient mobile blogging to any iPhone or iPod touch running iPhone software 2.0. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The App supports multiple blogs, creating and editing posts and photo uploading from your iPhone Photo Library or the iPhone camera. It supports both WordPress hosted blogs, and self-hosted WordPress blogs . You'll need WordPress 2.5.1 or higher on the server side.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Upon startup, the app lists your blogs and allows you to add new blogs on the fly. Selecting a blog will show you current state of said blog, along with old and new posts in a summary fashion. Posts can set to Pending Review, Private, Published or Draft. The default save status is local draft, which is saves the entry to your mobile device. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, the App is very easy to use and works great for mobile blogging. Like most iPhone/iPopd touch Apps, you do need to get used to using the devices on screen keyboard. Once that's accomplished you'll be blogging along at a good pace. While we're relatively happy with Version 1, there is room for improvement and luckily the folks at WordPress are already working on an updated version of this App. If you are adventuresome, and what Ninja isn't, you can contribute to the development of the App by going <a href="#mce_temp_url#">here</a>. You’ll need to know a bit about Objective-C and XCode however.</p>
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http://www.maclife.com/article/iphone/wordpress#commentsReviewsApp Storeapp store reviewsInternet and CommunicationsiPod and iPhoneSoftwarewordpressiPhoneThu, 31 Jul 2008 08:19:00 +0000David W. Martin2627 at http://www.maclife.com